Do you want to chat with a missionary?

Hi I'm Tanya Damian Martushoff

I grew up in Nikolavest, Alaska. I am going to school now at BYU-I (loving it) AND I'm a Mormon... and proud of it!

About Me

Copy and Share

Hi!! My name is Tanya. I joined the church two months ago and I am loving it. My previous religion that I was born into and raised is called the Russian Orthodox Old Believers. Right now I am currently going to school. I love reading, writing and learning new things. I love to sing and dance...not necessarily good at it, but love doing it nonetheless. I love listening to all kinds of music, music that I can sing too or dance too. One of my favorite bands is called "Skillet". I love watching movies. As long as it is good, it is ok by me. I love my family with all my heart. Family is extremely important to me. My family now and my future family. I love laughing and having a good time. I just love this church.

Why I am a Mormon

Copy and Share

I was born, baptized as a baby, and raised in the Russian Orthodox Old Believers. For those who don't know what the religion is like....just imagine the Mennonites. We wore handsewn dresses, never cut our hair, and we wre not suppose to wear make up. Tv's, computers, and cellphones were considered the devil. When we went to church it was from 2 am - 8 am. We stood. The men also read in an Old Slavic language which we couldn't understand. We were also not allowed to hang out with anyone outside of the religion. We went to public school and work, but outside of those environments, we were not allowed to associate with people outside of the belief. Like the Amish, if you left the religion, you were shunned by the community and disowned by your family. I had a friend who was an LDS member and they changed my perspective of my Heavenly Father. In the Russian religion we learned more about God's wrath then His love. So to learn from the LDS church that I was a daughter of our Heavenly Father was a HUGE thing. From learning that He loved me made me realize that I love my Heavenly Father and my brother, Jesus Christ, so very much. I had to lead a double life and go to the LDS church in secret. I also had to read the Book of Mormon in secret. The more I read about the gospel and learned about it, the more I fell in love with it and knew that it was true. When I was in church, I just KNEW that I was in the right place. I had to make some tough decisions and at one point I had to choose either my parents or the church. Although I love my family so so so very much, I chose the church. I can testify that this church is true, that Joseph Smith is a prophet. That we have a living Prophet on earth today! That God loves each and everyone of us. I KNOW that our Heavenly Father is real because of the way that I have changed on the inside. Even though I lost my family and lost everyone I knew from my former religion....I found God. I found true love.

How I live my faith

Copy and Share

I live my faith by loving God and Jesus every day. By showing my love to them, I try to live in a way that I know they would approve of. I pray to them daily and just have a basic conversation with them. I don't think my prayer ever ends because I just continually talking to God every moment of the day. Heavenly Father KNOWS that I like to talk =) Prayer for me is such a huge thing because in the Russian religion we prayed to crosses and had repetative prayer. We never learned to just "talk" with God. I love it. I feel like He is just that much more real to me. Reading the scriptures...huge deal! It goes hand in hand with praying. When you pray, you are communicating to your Heavenly Father. When you read the scriptures, He is communicating right back to you! LOVE IT EVEN MORE. Of course, church is such an important thing. We go to church to partake of the Sacrament which helps remind me of my covenants with God. I love it. I'm always so excited when its Sunday. My roommates probably think I'm nuts because when Sunday rolls around they can hear me say, "I looooooooooooooooove Sunday!" I love my ward. I love Wards period! Your Ward is like your family. They are there for you, they care for you, they want to know you. I just love this church so very much. I hope that I can always say that I love this church. I use the word love because this church is of love. God IS love.

Who is Jesus Christ? Watch this 60 second video on Christ and His relevance. Learn the names he goes by; The King of Kings, The Lord of Lords. Learn of the greatest gift we can receive, the sacrifice and atonement of his life so we can live again.